Gifts: Shadow Lords
The Shadow Lords Gifts Spirits in service to or allied with a tribe's totem teach Tribal Gifts. Some tribes' Gifts haven't changed in centuries, while others (such as the Glass Walkers) regularly reinvent their relationship with the spirits. Learning a Gift from another tribe usually requires the Garou to be on good terms with at least one member of the tribe (generally a packmate) who can summon the appropriate spirit. Even then, the Garou must convince the spirit she is worthy of its blessings, and that she won't turn them against its tribal allies. Some Garou are extremely touchy about outsiders learning their tribal blessings, while others believe the practice strengthens the Garou Nation as a whole in its war against the Wyrm. The Shadow Lords appreciate both subtlety and power, and this is reflected in their spirit pacts. The Tribe's Gifts grant power over shadows, intimidation, control, asserting dominance over others, and the raw fury of the unleashed storm. Rank 1 Aura of Confidence The werewolf projects an aura of superiority, preventing attempts to find flaws or read auras (but not to read the werewolf's thoughts). An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift. System: This Gift's effects are permanent. Fatal Flaw The Shadow Lord can spy a target's weakness, gaining an advantage in combat. A Stormcrow teaches this Gift. System: The Shadow Lord concentrates for one full turn, then the player rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty equals the target's Wits + Subterfuge). Success grants the Garou an extra die of damage during combat with that target. Additional successes grant knowledge of further weaknesses, but not more dice. Seizing the Edge Shadow Lords don't acknowledge the idea of the draw. If neither competitor wins, then they both lose. This Gift allows the Garou to swing the balance, ever so slightly, in her favor. A spirit servant of Grandfather Thunder teaches this Gift. System: Whenever the Shadow Lord is involved in an opposed roll with another being, any ties go to the Shadow Lord. This Gift's effects are permanent, but invoking them more than once in a scene costs one Gnosis per additional tie broken. Shadow Weaving Slightly flexing her fingers or claws, the Garou pulls and weaves shadows as she desires -- lengthening or shortening them, lightening or darkening, or even twisting them into grotesque and frightening shapes. A shadow-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Dexterity + Occult (difficulty 7). For the rest of the scene, the Shadow Lord may warp shadows within 100 yards (91 m) as she wishes. Among other creative uses, this lowers the difficulty of all Stealth and Intimidation attempts by 1. Whisper Catching What good purpose could there be to keep secrets from Gaia's protectors? This Gift allows the werewolf to supernaturally eavesdrop on whispered conversations--what she does with the information learned is, of course, up to her own conscience. A crow- or bat-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends a point of Willpower. For the rest of the scene, all whispers within 200 feet are fully audible to the Shadow Lord as though they had been spoken clearly just next to her. Rank 2 Clap of Thunder The Shadow Lord slams her hands together, creating a mighty thunderclap that stuns those who hear it. A Stormcrow teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point. All characters within 20 feet (6 m) must succeed in a Willpower roll (difficulty 8 for foes, 4 for packmates) or be stunned and unable to act for one turn. The Garou must be in Homid, Glabro, or Crinos form to use this Gift. Cold Voice of Reason A cunning Shadow Lord can talk his way out of just about anything. If attacked, the werewolf may invent a clever remark that will detain his attacker for at least one round. A crow-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty 8). The attacker is detained one round for each success as long as he, in turn, is not attacked (being attacked immediately breaks the Shadow Lord's spell). The attacker is free to take any other actions he wishes (including attacking individuals other than the Shadow Lord). Howls in the Night The werewolf sends a full-throated howl shivering into the night sky, evoking primal terror in Gaia's enemies. Creatures of the Wyrm who hear the howl find themselves troubled and unable to rest easily while their enemies are on the prowl. A wolf-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Charisma + Primal-Urge (difficulty 7). Creatures of the Wyrm who hear the howl will be jolted awake if asleep, and rendered unable to sleep for the next (successes x 3) hours. Luna’s Armor The Child of Gaia invokes the moon's sacred power. Her body is briefly wreathed in a shimmer of moonlight, granting her Luna's protection. This Gift is taught by a Lune. System: The werewolf concentrates for a turn; the player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Stamina + Survival (difficulty 6). Each success allows the Garou to add one die to his soak pools. These dice, and these dice alone, may even be rolled to soak damage from silver. The benefit lasts for one scene. Song of the Earth Mother This gift allows the werewolf to sense the presence of supernatural activity within a broad area. Essentially, the Garou communes with the earth and listens to what it says. The Gift is taught by an earth-spirit. System: The user spends 10 minutes communing with the earth, during which time she may take no other actions. The player then spends two Gnosis points and rolls Perception + Occult (difficulty 7). Success indicates that the earth tells her about any supernatural presence within an area of 100 yards (91 m) per success. While the Gift doesn't offer specific information about the being or beings detected, it does indicate whether or not the presence is Wyrm-tainted. Rank 3 Direct the Storm The Shadow Lord can direct the primal instincts of a frenzied werewolf, friend or foe, causing him to attack targets of the Lord's choice. A Stormcrow teaches this Gift. System: The player spends a point of Gnosis and rolls Willpower (difficulty of the target's Rage). Success indicates that the Shadow Lord controls the target's frenzy and can set him on anyone she chooses for two turns per success. Using this Gift on a Garou in the Thrall of the Wyrm is possible, but doing so requires the player to roll Rage (difficulty 7) to check for frenzy for her own character. Icy Chill of Despair The Shadow Lord appears to grow larger and more imposing, becoming a terrible, shadowy version of herself. This change in aspect can severely intimidate any onlookers. A Stormcrow teaches this Gift. System: The werewolf concentrates for a turn; the player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Manipulation + Intimidation, difficulty 7. Anyone who means the Shadow Lord harm must make a Willpower check, difficulty 8, and score more successes than the Lord does in order to act normally. Failure means that the victims must spend a Willpower point to attack, take action against or even verbally oppose the Shadow Lord. This Gift doesn't give the Lord actual control over her intimidated victims -- they're simply too spooked to actively oppose her. Paralyzing Stare The Shadow Lord directs a terrifying glare at a target, causing her to freeze in terror. A Stormcrow teaches this Gift. System: The Garou concentrates for one turn. The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Charisma + Intimidation (difficulty of the target's Willpower). Each success freezes the target in place for one turn, rendering her unable to move or attack (though she may still defend herself). The target must be able to see the Garou. Shadow Cutting The Shadow Lord can wound an enemy by striking at his very shadow. Such attacks are difficult to dodge. This Gift is taught by a night-spirit. System: The character spits into his opponent's shadow and the player spends a Gnosis point. For the rest of the scene, the character may strike at his foe's shadow to wound him. Only fetish weapons or natural weaponry serves for such attacks. The victim has two fewer dice to dodge attacks directed at his shadow, and can't parry them at all. Under the Gun The Shadow Lord lays a curse on her foe, ensuring certain death by bullets. While the curse is in effect, bullets (as well as arrows, hurled knives, and any other missile weapons) are strangely attracted to the target. Although this Gift is useful in battle, most Shadow Lords prefer to use it secretly on a chosen foe before a fight begins, ensuring an "unfortunate accident." A raven-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The Shadow Lord touches the intended target with her fingertips. The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Manipulation + Firearms. The curse lingers for one day per success. While it is in effect, the difficulty to strike the target with any sort of missile attack drops by two. Rank 4 Durance The werewolf dominates a talen-bound spirit, spinning webs of metaphysical authority to forcibly lengthen its service to her. Some consider this Gift disrespectful, but the Shadow Lords find it ridiculous to discard a weapon that might serve Gaia, just for the sake of politeness. This Gift is taught by a spider-spirit. System: Upon using a talen, the player may reflexively spend one Gnosis point to keep the spirit bound within from departing. This Gift is ineffective on talens which are destroyed as an inherent aspect of their use (such as the nightshade talen, which must be drunk to activate its powers), but preserves talens whose destruction is a metaphysical result of their use (such as moon glow and Wyrm scales). Open Wounds The werewolf causes the next wound he inflicts to bleed profusely, weakening his opponent further. A pain-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Strength + Medicine (difficulty 7). If the Shadow Lord's next attack does any damage, the target will bleed continuously, suffering one unsoakable lethal damage per turn for a number of turns equal to the number of successes rolled. Strength of the Dominator The werewolf draws on a target's anger to feed his own. A Stormcrow teaches this Gift. System: The player rolls Wits + Intimidation (difficulty equals the target's Willpower). For a number of turns equal to the successes scored, the target will lose a point of Rage per turn, while the Shadow Lord gains that Rage. The character can use this Gift only once per target per scene. Rank 5 Obedience The Shadow Lord becomes the ultimate alpha, compelling all others to follow her orders. A Stormcrow teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Charisma + Leadership (difficulty 8). All in the vicinity must roll Willpower (difficulty 8) and match or exceed the Garou's successes, or they succumb to the Gift's effects. If the werewolf wins by one success, targets follow any orders that don't directly inconvenience them. Three successes cause the targets to treat the Lord as their alpha and fight for her. Five successes make the targets follow her into the Abyss or perform virtually suicidal actions. This Gift's effects last for one full day. Shadow Pack The werewolf summons up shadowy duplicates of himself to stand by him in battle. These shadow-wolves resemble the Shadow Lord and share some of his capabilities. A night-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player rolls Gnosis (difficulty 8) and spends a number of Gnosis points. One shadow-duplicate appears for each point spent. These duplicates have the same Attributes and Abilities as the Garou, but not his fetishes and may not use Gifts, Gnosis or Willpower. Each has only one health level. The duplicates fade at the end of the scene.